Led by rookie head coach Mike LaFleur, the Arizona Cardinals defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14 on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Jacoby Brissett threw for 277 yards and a touchdown as the Cardinals overcame a 9.5-point underdog spread to secure a season-opening victory.
For a franchise that entered the 2026 campaign with the league’s worst Super Bowl odds, Sunday afternoon at SoFi Stadium offered an immediate and refreshing course correction. The Arizona Cardinals defeated the Jim Harbaugh-led Los Angeles Chargers 26-14, handing rookie head coach Mike LaFleur a victory in his debut. LaFleur became the first Cardinals head coach to win his opening game since Don Coryell accomplished the feat in 1973.
Mike LaFleur’s Modern Offense Sparks Arizona
The offensive transformation promised by the new coaching staff materialized right away. Under LaFleur, the Cardinals deployed an attack characterized by pre-snap motion, complex formations, and shifts designed to frustrate the opposition. Last season, Arizona had the lowest motion rate in the NFL at 21%, per the CBS broadcast. On Sunday, that proactive approach helped quarterback Jacoby Brissett operate smoothly as a distributor.
Brissett completed 27 of 37 pass attempts for 277 yards, tossing one touchdown with zero turnovers. His command was evident on the game’s opening drive, when the Cardinals marched into the red zone. Faced with a potential delay-of-game penalty on first-and-goal from the 9-yard line, Brissett calmly called a timeout. Two plays later, Jeremiyah Love punched into the end zone on a 5-yard run, aided by blocking motion from Elijah Higgins and Marvin Harrison Jr.
“These last few days have been almost miserable waiting. Just really happy for those guys.”
Mike LaFleur, Head Coach, Arizona Cardinals
Jacoby Brissett and the Efficient Passing Attack
Brissett’s execution anchored a dominant time-of-possession advantage for Arizona, which controlled the ball for 37 minutes to the Chargers’ 22, running 72 plays to Los Angeles’s 51 and outgaining the hosts 393 yards to 268. Brissett consistently took what the defense gave him while delivering crucial throws under pressure.
On the second drive, with an unblocked defender immediately in his face off play action, Brissett floated a pass over two defenders to Trey McBride. Later, he connected with Marvin Harrison Jr. for a 33-yard gain on a precise go ball. Kicker Chad Ryland supplemented the offense by converting four field goals, helping the Cardinals win on the road against the Chargers for the first time since 2001.
I’m just so happy that we were able to go on the road and get a win.
Jacoby Brissett, Quarterback, Arizona Cardinals
Defensive Turnaround Stifles Justin Herbert
The victory required a significant in-game adjustment from the Arizona secondary. During a shaky first half, Los Angeles receiver Ladd McConkey found ample room against defenders Will Johnson and Denzel Burke, helping the Chargers construct an easy touchdown march capped by Omarion Hampton’s 9-yard run that tied the game at 7-7.
Everything shifted after intermission. After averaging 13.1 yards per pass attempt in the first half, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was restricted to just 5.1 yards per attempt in the second half. Dante Stills delivered a crucial fourth-down sack before halftime, and the defense capitalized on a disastrous fourth quarter for Los Angeles that included a blocked punt, an interception, and two turnovers on downs.
“It’s not the start that we wanted, but credit to the Cardinals. It’ll be about our resolve, the way we bounce back.”
Jim Harbaugh, Head Coach, Los Angeles Chargers
Next Up on the Schedule
The Cardinals return home to host the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks next Sunday. Meanwhile, the Chargers look to rebound in Week 2 as they host the Las Vegas Raiders.
